Apparatus for forming container body

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for forming a container body from a cut and scored blank of paperboard or the like, the container body having an essentially polygonal-shaped base, such as rectangular or square, and curved sides fairing from the base and terminating in the upper boundaries thereof in a generally closed rim in the form of a circle or an ellipse. The apparatus is characterized by structure engageable with the cut and scored blank while supported on a plane, the structure moving with respect to the aforesaid plane in such a fashion as to cause the sides to move into angular relationship with respect to the base panel of the blank and into overlapping relationship along the side margins thereof. The aforesaid structure cooperates with structure external of the so formed blank to firmly press the marginal edges of the sides into firm engagement, the structure internal of the blank being adapted to be collapsed for the subsequent withdrawal thereof at the conclusion of the forming of the container body.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Ralph O. Vuilleurnier Malvern, Pm; Leroy Jones, Ooltewah, Tenn. [2]] Appl. No. 849,978 [22] Filed Aug. 14, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 31, 1971 73] Assignee Container Corporation of America Chicago, Ill.

{ 54] APPARATUS FOR FORMING CONTAINER BODY 3 Chills, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 93/511 [51] Int. Cl. B3lb 11/44 [50] Field ofSeu-ch 93/51 [56] Refer-cues Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,830,507 4/1958 Hickin et al. 93/51 3,063,348 11/1962 Simpson 93/51 Primary Examiner-Bemard Stickney AttorneyCarpenter, Ostis & Lindberg ABSTRACT: Apparatus for forming a container body from a cut and scored blank of paperboard or the like, the container body having an essentially polygonal-shaped base, such as rectangular or square, and curved sides fairing from the base and terminating in the upper boundaries thereof in a generally closed rim in the form of a circle or an ellipse. The apparatus is characterized by structure engageable with the cut and scored blank while supported on a plane, the structure moving with respect to the aforesaid plane in such a fashion as to cause the sides to move into angular relationship with respect to the base panel of the blank and into overlapping relationship along the side margins thereof. The aforesaid structure cooperates with structure external of the so formed blank to firmly press the marginal edges of the sides into firm engagement, the structure internal of the blank being adapted to be collapsed for the subsequent withdrawal thereof at the conclusion of the forming of the container body.

Wm VACUUM SHEET 1 OF 2 PATENTED m3! l9?! FIG. I

I INVENTORS. RALPH O.VU|LLEUMIER ATTORNEYS.

JONES BY (M, 9

LEROY TO VACUUM The structure according to the present invention finds particular application in the forming of a container body commonly referred to as square-round containers, these having the appearance essentially of a conventional cylindrical or frustoconical cup, but being formed from a single cut and scored blank. In many cases, such square-round containers are desirably made with the base thereof larger than the open top. This is eminently desirable for storage of the filled containers, particularly where they are filled with frozen material. However, the formation of a container body as described is extremely difficult because the forming process requires the insertion of structure into the container body against the larger base during the formation of the body, and it has been heretofore impossible to provide structure capable of having adequate bearing contact with the container body base panel during the forming of the container body, and yet capable of being withdrawn readily after the formation of same.

With the foregoing considerations in mind, it is a principal object of this invention to form a container body having a polygonal-shaped base, such as in the form of a square or a rectangle, with sides terminating in the open upper end thereof in a generally closed rim in the form of a circle or an ellipse, the maximum dimension of the base being greater than the diameter of the rim at the top of the container body.

Another object is to provide structure for forming a container body as described with a mandrel adapted to be inserted therein, the mandrel being adapted to be collapsed at the conclusion of the forming operation so that the same may be withdrawn.

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of apparatus embodying the improvements according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view looking in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the manner in which the container body sides are formed; I

FIG. 4 is a plan view looking in the direction of the arrows of FIG. ll showing the manner in which the forming of the container body is completed;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the apparatus in a position of releasing the container body formed thereby;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a cut and scored blank of paperboard or the like adapted to be employed with the apparatus according to the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a perspective view of a container adapted to be formed in the apparatus according to the present invention.

The apparatus according to the present invention is denoted by the reference numeral 110, and is adapted to form a container body 103 from a cut and scored blank 10A. The latter consists of a base panel ll having end flaps 12 hingedly connected thereto along score lines 113. Side panels 11 are foldably connected to opposite sides of the base panel M along score lines 16. Side panels 141 are each provided with diverging curved score lines 17 seen also in FIG. 7, which enable the sides 14 to fair upward from the base ill and to be glued at the bottom portions thereof to the end flaps 12. The upper boundaries of the side panels 14 terminate in a rim 18 which may be circular or elliptical according to the parameters chosen for the cut and scored blank 110A.

The free edges of the end flaps 12 and the side edges of one of the side panels 114 may be provided with glue patches GP for gluing the blank MA, as will be described, to form the container body 108 as seen in FIG. 7.

The glue patches GP may be of a type as referred to as hot melt, or alternately the cut and scored blank may be formed with a thermoplastic coating adapted to seal the edges of the side panels M and the flaps 12 by the application of heat and pressure.

The apparatus 110 includes a crosshead 211 movable in directions as indicated by the double-headed arrow thereon. Crosshead 211 includes a mandrel 22 adapted to form the container body 110B when acting upon the carton blank ll llA by movement of the crosshead 21 and the mandrel 22 relative to a support table 23 for carton blank 10A. In such movement of the crosshead 211 and the mandrel 22 the container body MB is formed, and mandrel 22 is adapted to cooperate with an outer pressure assembly indicated generally by the reference numeral 24 and disposed below the table 23.

The mandrel 22 includes a pair of diametrically spaced inner vertical pressure members 26 integrally formed at the lower ends thereof with feet 27 adapted to engage with the base panel ill and end flaps 12 of the blank 10A.

Each of the members 26 has a pin connection 23 with the crosshead 21. A linear actuating device 33 operating through rod 34 and toggle 37 causes the lower ends of members 2b together with 27 to move laterally towards and away from flaps 112 of carton blank WA.

Carton-seal alignment devices 29 are connected to members 26 by pins 28. Devices 29 are each actuated by linear motion of rod 32 through pin 31 connecting member 29 to rod 32. Member 29 rotates downward to align carton seal between panels M of carton blank WA prior to the application of pressure to complete sealing the carton body 1013.

The table 23 has an opening 40 therein which is curved to correspond generally to the contour of the rim 1% of the container 10B, and to cause the curving of the sides M of the container body 10 when the mandrel 22 moves downward with the crosshead 211 relative to the table: 23. In so doing, the sides 14 of the cut and scored blank 10A are guided by vertical guides 39 and M extending downward from the underside of the table 23 as best seen in FIG. 3.

The outer pressure assembly 24 includes a pair of outer vertical pressure members 42 adapted to move against the vertical margins of the sidewalls 14 when formed by the movement of the mandrel 22 with respect to the table 23. Each of the outer vertical pressure members 42 has a lower foot 4B3 adapted to move into engagement with the lower edges of the side panels 14 with the end flaps 12 engaged against the lower ends of the side flaps l4 and between the feet 27.

A backing plate 44 for each outer pressure member and the lower foot 43 is provided with a bracket 46. A pin connection 47 connects the bracket 46 to rod lid and a linear actuating device 49.

A hollow vacuum rod 51 has a vacuum cup 52 at the lower end thereof, and vacuum is applied thereto against the lower face of the base panel ill to remove the same after the completion of the container body.

In the forming of the container body 11013 the feet 27 of the mandrel 22 are engaged with the base panel 111 of the cut and scored blank A. The latter lies over the opening #10 in the table 23 and after base panel ll is moved downward by the mandrel 22, side panels M are formed in the manner disclosed, the outer vertical pressure members 32 moving against the outer faces of the side panels M which are in overlapping relationship and which impinge against the inner vertical pressure members 26. Prior to the placing of the cut and scored blank 10 across the opening 40 the same may have hot melt" adhesive applied thereto and when pressure is applied to the sides of the panels 14 the same are glued together with the gluing of the end flaps 12 to the inner faces of the side panels M.

At the completion of the forming operation thus disclosed linear actuating device 33 raises the piston rod 34 to collapse the toggle arms 37. This moves the feet 27 to the position seen in FIG. 5 at which time also the outer vertical pressure members 42 are withdrawn. The crosshead 211 is then raised, and the vacuum cup 52 and hollow vacuum rod 31 then remove the finished container body 10B.

We claim:

ll. In apparatus of the class described for forming a container body from a cut and scored paperboard blank or the like having a base in the form of a polygon such as a square or a rectangle, and sides foldably connected to and extending from said base and fairing from planar surfaces to curved surfaces to terminate in the upper boundaries thereof in a generally closed rim in the form of a circle or an ellipse having diameters not greater than the correlative dimension of said base;

a. first means for supporting said blank including an opening in said means over which the base of said blank extends,

i. said opening having curved surfaces therein engageable with the sides of said blank and causing the said sides to adopt curved configurations in cross section when said base is moved through said opening;

b. second means engageable with the inner face of said base and relatively movable with respect to said opening for causing movement of said base out the plane of said first means and into said opening thereby moving said sides into angular relationship with respect to said base and into overlapping relationship with respect to each other along margins thereof while adopting said curved configurations in cross section;

0. third means engageable with the outer faces of said sides along said overlapping margins and movable with respect to said second means to engage said overlapping margins therebetween and press them firmly together for adhesive contact;

d. said second means including:

i. laterally spaced foot members engageable with said base adjacent a line of fold between said base and a contiguous side,

ii. an inner pressure member extending from each of said foot members along the inner side of said overlapping margins and cooperating with said third means with said overlapping margins therebetween;

. means for moving said foot members and said inner pressure members toward each other upon completion of the engagement of said overlapping margins to a position where said foot members may be withdrawn freely through the opening at said closed rim of said container body upon operation of said second means to an initial position. 

1. In apparatus of the class described for forming a container body from a cut and scored paperboard blank or the like having a base in the form of a polygon such as a square or a rectangle, and sides foldably connected to and extending from said base and fairing from planar surfaces to curved surfaces to terminate in the upper boundaries thereof in a generally closed rim in the form of a circle or an ellipse having diameters not greater than the correlative dimension of said base; a. first means for supporting said blank including an opening in said means over which the base of said blank extends, i. said opening having curved surfaces therein engageable with the sides of said blank and causing the said sides to adopt curved configurations in cross section when said base is moved through said opening; b. second means engageable with the inner face of said base and relatively movable with respect to said opening for causing movement of said base out the plane of said first means and into said opening thereby moving said sides into angular relationship with respect to said base and into overlapping relationship with respect to each other along margins thereof while adopting said curved configurations in cross section; c. third means engageable with the outer faces of said sides along said overlapping margins and movable with respect to said second means to engage said overlapping margins therebetween and press them firmly together for adhesive contact; d. said second means including: i. laterally spaced foot members engageable with said base adjacent a line of fold between said base and a contiguous side, ii. an inner pressure member extending from each of said foot members along the inner side of said overlapping margins and cooperating with said third means with said overlapping margins therebetween; e. means for moving said foot members and said inner pressure members toward each other upon completion of the engagement of said overlapping margins to a position where said foot members may be withdrawn freely through the opening at said closed rim of said container body upon operation of said second means to an initial position.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said second means includes a movable crosshead having said inner pressure members pivotally connected thereto.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said second means includes a crosshead having means including toggle members for moving said foot members to a position of engagement with said fold line and to a position whereby said foot members may be withdrawn freely from said container body. 